The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1887-05-23
MONDAY. MAY %, 1887.
ABsoLuTIsM DESCRIBED.

WHICH lUC AlENhlb N1o oldilInt IL
declared among other things its pur
pose to oppose ''backstairs govern
ment." 1t does not require long
sojourn in this country to perceive that
the nation has form without the sub
stance Of free, popular government.
The head of the state is declared by
law to have no responsibility, yet in
fact he bears all rule All the limit to
his power lies in whatever disposition
he may have to do right and avoid
wrong, together with whatever discre-
ton he may possess to prevent him
making enemies of the people The
law that says the King is not response
bic says that his Ministers are respon-
sible But the Ministers are selected
by the King of his own will and pleas
ure, and only those ready to accept
responsibility for anything he com
mands them to do are chosen or re-
tanned. Here is where the first and
one Of the worst elements OF backstairs
government comes in. individuals or
combinations powerful enou d to bear
influence over the King, or into whose
hands he may have placed himself in
private or state transactions, have been
able to both make and break Cabinet
in Hawaii, without regard to the will or
preference Of the great body OF tax
payers The next place where this bad
style OF government displays its cvii
tendency is the compelling Of Ministers
to perform acts Of which they disap-
prove, either to indulge some idiosyn-
Grassy of the sovereign or to serve the
interests of the power behind the
throne which created that Ministry,
When, as has been manifested before
the eyes Of this nation, Ministers are
chosen or account of their fitness to
be tools, the compulsion referred to is
not so much the thing to be deplored
as is the fact that the letter of the law
shuts the people up to dealing with the
edges of the tools, while the handles
are in the grasp that holds the scepter,
The natural result is that when even
legitimate ends. are to be served, in
dealings Of private persons with the
Government, people who know the
ropes so past the responsible but i'm
potent Ministers and try to effect their
objects with the King; or the Min
isters, who should be competent to
direct the details Of their departments,
il applied to in the first instance have
to consult the King before acting
Thus it is that the backstairs to the
throne are thronged from one end Of
the year to the other, with all sorts and
conditions of people having great and
little, public and private purposes tc
be accomplished. Heads of depart
ments, Of bureaus, even of labor gangs
are subject to being served with man
dates pencilled out over the royal sigr
manual, ordering room to be made fol-
this or that person privileged in having
access to the face and favor of thu
sovereign. fla vacancy exists in tht
humblest clerkship, the superior officer
who is responsible for the quality o
service rendered in his department
must, if a careful selection is required
proceed very quietly about filling tht
place, for fear that an unsuitable in
cumbent may be thrust upon him
Laws generally commended in thu
community, by those understanding
their intent and scope, and In the per
fiction Of which the Legislature ha
spent valuable time and faithful effort
have been returned disallowed to tn,
assembled wisdom" through thu
Vaccinations Of backstairs delegations
Through the operation Of the system
influences are naturally brought to bea
upon the sovereign, from which hi
position should give him absolute i'm
munity Several grave scandals tina
have become notorious during tn